Zimbabwe President Offers White Farmers 99-Year Leases in Bid to Resolve Land Issue

White farmers in Zimbabwe have said they are relieved and “at peace” after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government said it would end land invasions and offer them longer leases for their farms.

Mr. Mnangagwa, who came to power after a soft coup d’etat last November, gave orders earlier this month to grant the estimated 200 to 300 remaining white farmers in the country 99-year leases for their land.

A government letter, dated January 3 but published only on Wednesday, said: “Please be informed that the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement has directed that all remaining white farmers be issued 99-year leases instead of the five-year leases as per the previous arrangement.”